


My One, My Only

by voix



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-05-31 05:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15112661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voix/pseuds/voix
Summary: Askr's summoner Noah, and princess Sharena perform a summon using orbs Sharena mysteriously found in a pouch in her room. Not suspecting anything out of the ordinary, they are shocked when the summon goes out of control. In the resulting chaos they learn they summoned the fell dragon, Grima. Now with a dark god under contract, and a war that rages ever on, Noah must guide Askr on the path of victory while discovering just what kind of relationship he has with the fell dragon.





	1. To Call Forth a God

     Rays of sunlight beamed across the castle courtyard. Trees rustled gently as the breeze blew through their leaves. The scent of flowers from the courtyard gardens was carried by the wind. Multitudes of people occupied the outdoor space. Many simply passing through, but a good number were taking time out of their day to appreciate the lovely gift from mother nature. They all greeted one another with smiles and friendly waves. Were an artist to paint this scene he would title it  _ Heaven _ without a doubt. 

     For Noah, Askr’s summoner, it was a day worth enjoying. He appreciated times like this after everything the Order of Heroes had recently gone through. And he greatly appreciated how lax the war meetings became after Surtr’s ultimate defeat. With the flame king's death, the throne of Múspell fell to princess Laegjarn. She called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and officially withdrew from the alliance with Embla and the war against Askr. While princess Veronica held no grief over Surtr, the loss of Múspell’s vast forces left her scrambling as she too recovered from his madness. The trickster Loki vanished shortly after Surtr’s demise, after she was discovered posing as the young princess Ylgr of Nifl. The real princess was released shortly after by Laegjarn and returned to her home. Prince Hríd assumed the throne of Nifl, while princess Fjorm took up attempts to establish a formal peace with what she hoped would be a stable Múspell for years to come. Noah hoped only for the best between the two kingdoms. He knew some scars could never heal, but that the pain might be eased somewhat would pave way for a better future. Lingering regret over being unable to save princess Gunnthrá still stung Noah. But he promised Fjorm he would only look forward and live a good life.

     “Noah? Are you daydreaming?” A familiar voice called out beside him. He blinked and turned to see Sharena, the princess of Askr. She had a little brown pouch in her hand.

     “Hi Sharena.” Noah smiled at her. “I guess I was, sorry. Did you need something?”

     “You don’t have to apologize.” She laughed. “I can’t blame you when the day is this nice. And I just wanted to give you this.” She opened the pouch to reveal a handful of iridescent marbles.

     “Orbs? We have a pretty healthy stock don’t we?” Noah pulled out a sleek black tablet from a leather carrying case strapped to his side. He turned it on and pulled up a page detailing special materials. They had about a hundred orbs in stock. The magic behind it was still odd to him, but Noah was grateful to Breidablik for enchanting his tablet to have a magically fueled endless battery and apps to manage everything he needed as summoner and tactician for the order.

     “I’m sure we do. It’s just the strangest thing. I was looking through my drawers for one of my hair ties and I found this pouch. I must have gathered these at some point and forgotten all about them.”

     “No worries there.” Noah laughed and took the pouch from her. “Feh brings so many I keep meaning to ask her where she finds them. Say, why don’t we go and spend these now? It’s been a while since I’ve summoned a new hero.”

     “Shall we head to the shrine then?” Sharena loved watching summonings. Each one was special in its own way.

     “Yep.” Noah put his tablet away and together the two made their way through the courtyard and out the castle gates.

     “What were you thinking about when I came by, if you don’t mind my asking?”

     “Oh, just about everything that’s happened up until now,” Noah said. “With the war against Múspell over and how Nifl is doing. And with Veronica trying to pull herself back up after her alliance, it almost feels like there isn’t a war still going on when the days are this nice.”

     “I completely understand what you mean. Alfonse and I were just talking about how good it felt to put our weapons down for a moment and not worry about some battle suddenly starting on the far side of the realm.”

     “Yea.” Noah nodded. “That’s the kind of peace I hope we’ll win for Askr.”

     “With you and all of the amazing heroes we’ve made friends with I have no doubt in my mind we will.” Sharena smiled. The two chatted all the way to the summoning grounds. The summoning stone, Yggdrasil stood before them. “Who do you think you’ll end up summoning?” Sharena asked.

     “Summer’s started so maybe we’ll pull a hero off the beach.” Noah chuckled as he loaded the orbs into Breidablik. He took aim at Yggdrasil, and fired. Five multi-colored lights erupted from the divine weapon. They honed in on and struck the hollow within the stone. The stone began to glow. A blue light emanated from the hollow and expanded outward to form a portal. “I think I see someone–” Before Noah could finish his sentence the portal suddenly contracted. He and Sharena looked at each other in confusion. Then, a shockwave of energy burst from Yggdrasil. It nearly sent the pair flying off their feet. The surge kicked up dust and forced them to cover their mouths and squint. Another blast of energy sent more dust in the air, and threw Noah and Sharena onto the ground. The portal reopened, now an ominous purple. Bolts of magic surged around it. Noah could make out a faint silhouette through the chaos. A final, much stronger blast of energy clouded the area in dust. Noah and Sharena squeezed their eyes shut. Then, they heard it. A cold laughter followed by the mysterious figure speaking. Each word sent a chill down Noah’s spine.

_ I am the wings of despair _

_ I am the breath of ruin _

_ I am the fell dragon, Grima _


	2. Contract

     The fell dragon...Grima? The dust slowly cleared. Noah and Sharena pulled themselves up. They squinted through the haze at the hero before them. They gasped. The resemblance was uncanny. The same outfit with the dark coat and purple eyes outlined on the sleeves. The same snowy white hair. It was his eyes that were different. Rather than a warm light brown they were a cold and sharp red.

“Robin…?” Noah muttered.

“Hmph. Foolish worm. That name means nothing anymore,” the Robin lookalike said. “Although I am surprised you know who this vessel used to be. Now, tell me your own names, where you have brought me, and how.”

“I’m Noah…” He felt uncomfortable sharing his name with this Grima.

“And I am Sharena, princess of the kingdom of Askr,” Sharena said.

“I summoned you using the divine relic Breidablik here to Askr.”

“Your arrogance precedes you if you dare to summon a god of my power,” Grima said.

“Well, I didn’t exactly choose to summon you...Breidablik simply opens a portal and the rest is left to chance.” Something clearly must have gone wrong this time though.

“A lackluster control of a powerful ability by a lackluster insect it seems. Answer my final question; why have you performed this summoning?”

“We uh, summon heroes from other worlds to help us in the war against the Emblian empire and bring peace to this world.”

“Stay your tongue, worm. What a sickening word. I am the god of death and destruction, I do not fight for... _ peace _ .” Grima scowled. “It would be simpler to destroy you and your world.” Before Noah or Sharena could react, Grima waved his hand and sent forth a blast of dark energy. They instinctively raised their arms up in defense. Suddenly Breidablik began to glow. It redirected and absorbed Grima’s magic into itself. Noah and Sharena were shocked. Neither knew Breidablik was capable of that. Grima didn’t seem fazed. “It seems you aren’t as powerless as you appear. If I cannot kill you with magic then I shall use my bare hands.” He walked towards the pair, red eyes fixed on Noah.

“Stop!” Noah raised his hand at Grima. Suddenly the fell dragon found his body slowing down. He frowned and tried to raise his leg to no avail.

“What...is...this?” Grima growled.

“The power of our contract,” Noah said. “You can’t harm me, other heroes, or the Askrans.”

“Impossible…” He hissed. “I...am the...fell...dragon.”

“Your power is also limited by the contract. And until this war is won you can’t go home either.” Noah had never used his command powers until this moment. He could see the flames of anger burn in Grima’s eyes. “Are you willing to comply?” For a minute it seemed as if Grima wasn’t going to answer. Then he nodded.

“Yes.” Noah waved his hand and Grima could feel movement return to his limbs. “To think I could become subject to the whims of a worm like you. I shall end this war with swift wrath and be rid of you.”

“Noah…are you sure about this?” Sharena leaned in to whisper to him.

“Not really…” He replied. “But he’s here and there’s nothing I can do. I’ll keep an eye on him though and ask Chrom about him when I get the chance. You let Alfonse and Anna know what happened.” Sharena nodded and left. Noah turned his attention back to Grima. “Why don’t I show you around?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than I expected. But the first few chapters will mostly be setting stuff up while I get used to writing long form stories again


	3. An Afternoon of Information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day! Avoiding the heat all day so I just worked on the fic today. A lot of bulky information in this one. The castle layout is based on my headcanon of how it might look. Also some super streamlined background info given by Robin. Nothing too exciting but necessary

     The walk back to the castle was silent, and awkward for Noah. Given that Grima just tried to kill him, he didn’t feel completely comfortable with him behind him. However, when Noah slowed his pace Grima did the same. And whenever he looked back at him, Grima would glare daggers. Noah also heard Grima mutter as they walked. He could make out some words such as “disgusting…” and “so bright…” Noah stopped when they reached the front gate.

“So.” He awkwardly shuffled his feet. “This is the castle.”

“Clearly.” Grimma scoffed.

“Right…” Someone help him. “This’ll be your home from now on. There are heroes from across many worlds. You don’t have to make friends with anyone, but you will have to work together.”

“Why? You claim my powers are limited, but no doubt they still dwarf all of the worms you’ve summoned before me.”

“That’s not how it works.” Noah sighed. “No matter your strength you need backup. The contract keeps you from dying, but you’ll still feel the pain.” Grima crossed his arms. He eyed Noah with a deep frown.

“You presume much to believe pain is a consequence for me. However, you’ll no doubt continue to nag me if I don’t agree to work with these other heroes. I shall humor you. Be thankful.”

“I am, thank you.” Noah nodded. He had planned to push the point further, so Grima’s compliance was a welcome surprise. “Let’s head in.” They passed through the gates and into the courtyard. On their way they passed a guardsman who eyed the pair intently. Noah glanced at him and the guard looked away. He paid it no mind and continued onward.

“The air here is so...acridly floral,” Grima said.

“You really don’t like anything, do you?”

“I would like this pointless tour to end.”

“It won’t last much longer. Please, bear with it.” Heroes cheerfully greeted Noah as he and Grima passed by. They cast curious glances at Grima, who merely frowned. Noah led him through the giant, white, gilded double doors into the main hall. The large, blue and gold trimmed runner with the symbol of Askr ran through the middle of the hall. Blue Askran tapestries decorated the walls. Spiraled pillars with decorated golden bases lined the sides. Stone steps at the far end of the room led to another set of gilded doors into the war room and Noah’s office. Four double doors lined the sides of the main hall, two on each side. The first set of doors on the left opened into the dining hall and kitchen. The second set led into the heroes sleeping quarters. The castle was large enough that each hero had their own room. The first doors on the right led to the library. The final set of doors opened to the orders personal suites. Alfonse, Sharena, Anna, and Noah resided there. All around heroes, guards, and staff bustled about their daily business. The windows above were opened to allow the sunlight and breeze through. “As you can see this is the main hall.” He pointed to each door in turn. “You’ve got the dining hall and sleeping quarters on this side. War room and my office are up the steps straight ahead. To the left of the steps is the notice board where you’ll find important announcements and available assignments. Feh, the messenger owl is perched to the right of the steps. She can deliver any letter you need to send, just be nice to her.” Noah doubted Grima would ever need to write someone. “The library is through there and open to everyone. Finally, you’ve got the suites on the far right. My room is on that end. Like the others, you’re free to come to me if you ever need help or just wanna talk.” He felt like an underappreciated college tour guide right now.

“Your offer is unneeded,” Grima said. “What could a mortal possibly help me with?”

He could teach you how to be polite maybe, Noah thought to himself. “Well, it’s your choice but the offer stands. Are you hungry by the way? We can grab some lunch.”

“I am above base needs such as food and sleep.”

You also sound full of shit, Noah thought. “Okay. You do you then. I’ll just show you to your room and we’re done after that.” Noah led Grima through the heroes quarters doors into a long hallway. Hundreds of doors lined each side. Noah pulled his tablet out and opened an app with a list of vacant rooms. “Let’s see…” They walked down the hallway in relative silence. “Room 145 is open.” He checked that room off as now occupied and wrote Grima’s name down. “Here we are.” Noah stopped in front of a simple brown wooden door with the number “145” on it. He opened the door and led Grima inside. Overall it was a simple but cozy room. There was a four poster bed, already made. A desk and chair sat next to the bed with fresh parchment, ink, and quills. A dresser stood against the wall to the left of the door. A large circular blue rug blanketed a vast space of the stone floor. A row of windows lined the back wall to let natural light in. “I’ll stop by later with your room key. For now just make yourself comfy.” Grima walked past Noah without a word. Noah didn’t expect a thank you and closed the door behind him. He shook his head and turned to head back to the main hall. He had many questions, and knew just where to start.

—

The library was the first place he thought to check for the person he needed. He walked through the packed rows towards the reading area. In a corner surrounded by stacks of books sat a snowy white haired young man in a dark coat with purple outlines of eyes on his sleeves. “Robin!” Noah called out quietly when he was close enough. The tactician looked up from his current book and smiled.

“Hello there, Noah. How are you?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure. I summoned a new hero today and it’s been a rough day so far.”

“Really? I’m sorry to hear that.” Robin frowned.

“That’s actually why I came to see you. I was hoping you could help me understand him better.”

“Certainly, Noah. Who did you summon?”

“His name is Grima.” Noah could see the color fade from Robin’s face. In a blink, he was out of his seat and grabbed Noah by the shoulders.

“Are you alright? Did he hurt you? Has he tried anything yet?” Robin looked Noah over with pained concern.

“I-I’m fine, Robin. Really.” Noah didn’t expect such a strong reaction. “It’s just...he looked just like you.” Robin froze. He pulled away and sat back down. “Robin?”

“I...suspected that as soon as you said his name.”

“He refers to himself as the fell dragon. A god of destruction. But I hoped you could tell me more?” Noah sat down next to Robin.

“He’s an evil dragon of immense power from my world. He’s arrogant if he didn’t already leave that impression on you, but his powers do easily rival the gods. As for why he looks like me...it’s because that used to  _ be _ me.”

“So...he possessed you?” Noah gasped. The thought crossed Noah when Grima first arrived and the way he reacted to being called Robin.

“Yes. The very reason I was born was to serve as his vessel.” Robin leaned back in his seat. “In my world there was a cult known as the Grimleal. They worshiped Grima with zealous devotion. After Grima’s first defeat by one of Chrom’s ancestors, the Grimleal devoted themselves to creating a vessel capable of hosting him. Eventually they succeeded, and I was born. My mother hid me away, and I grew up unaware of my purpose.” Robin paused to give Noah time to process the explanation so far. He continued when the summoner nodded. “Years later, Lucina and all the other children journeyed to the past to save their future. The Grima from their time, who succeeded in possessing me followed. He then sought me out and tried to take control of me. However, that resulted in my amnesia. In the struggles that came, I relearned about my past. All our fighting came to a climax when we faced the Grima of Lucina’s future and the Grima of our present. At the end of it all we won. Because of our connection, only I could land the blow that would permanently kill him, but that in turned killed me. If it wasn’t for my bonds with Chrom and the others I wouldn’t be here today.” Robin let out a sigh he didn’t realize he was holding.

“So is this...Grima from Lucina’s original timeline before he traveled to yours?”

“It’s possible. I’m more concerned with the damage he could do to this world.”

“He’s not stronger than the contract at least.”

“That’s good to hear. His powers are astronomical though. I pray the contract will be enough to keep us safe.” The pair stood up and Noah pulled Robin into a hug. He was surprised for a moment but quickly reciprocated it. “Thank you.”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t lay a hand on you, or any of your friends, I promise.”

“I appreciate that, Noah. But also promise me you won’t risk your own safety in the process.”

“You’ve got it.” Noah pulled away. “When you see Chrom and Lucina let them know. If either of them needs to talk too I’ll be in my office.”

“I will.” Robin nodded. “Thank you again.”

“Of course.” Noah smiled. “Anything for my friends.”


	4. A Gamble

     Robin left to find Chrom and Lucina so he can inform them of Grima’s arrival. Noah sat back down at the table the tactician previously occupied. He suddenly felt exhausted. Dealing with Grima took more out of him than he realized. Valter was still the least pleasant hero Noah has dealt with, but a direct attempt on his life was still shocking. He put his head down on the table to take a short rest. Just as he closed his eyes something hooted in his ear. He sat up and was greeted by the ever loveable Feh. 

     “Hey girl.” Noah smiled. She had a small parchment tied around her leg. Noah undid the string and pulled the note off. He quickly scanned the contents and sighed. Alfonse wanted to speak to him. It was a reasonable request after what Sharena must have told him, but Noah would rather sleep. “Thanks, Feh.” He gave the owl a soft pat on the head. She hooted happily and flew off. Noah slowly pulled himself up and made his way out of the library. He smiled and waved at the heroes who greeted him as he headed for the war room. Alfonse sat in his usual spot, alongside Sharena and commander Anna. Noah shut the door behind him and took his own seat.

     “Are you alright, Noah?” Alfonse asked as soon as he was situated.

     “I’m fine, just tired,” Noah said. “How are you feeling Sharena?”

     “Better after the shock wore off. Were you fine alone with him? He didn’t try to hurt you?” She furrowed her brow in concern.

     “No.” Noah shook his head. “I showed him around, assigned him his room, and that was that.”

     “I never thought a hero would try and attack any of us,” Anna said. A book sat in front of her. It was bound in dark leather and had strange runes on the cover. “When Sharena told us what happened I pulled this book from the restricted section. It covers the darkest creatures to exist in the worlds.”

     “I talked to Robin about it. He gave me a basic rundown of their connection and who Grima is.”

     “That’s good,” Alfonse said. “You might have had more luck than us.”

     “The book didn’t help?”

     “Not as much as we hoped.” Anna opened up to the page she had bookmarked. “Very little is known about Grima. The book only covers the first attempt he made to destroy the world of Awakening thousands of years ago, and how the first exalt of Ylisse sealed him away with the divine dragon Naga’s aid.” She closed the book and sighed. “And even then a divine dragon couldn’t kill him. His full power is beyond anything I can imagine. Even when it’s limited here it must be terrifying.”

     “Noah, did you get a chance to look at Grima’s information in your roster?” Alfonse asked.

     “Not yet,” he said. “Let me pull it up.” Noah took his tablet out and pulled up an app with the names of every hero he’s summoned. The app automatically updated with information on any new hero that arrived. It contained base power levels, growth potential, physical and magical abilities, combat endurance, and other statistics. He navigated to recent summons and opened Grima’s page. Noah gasped as he looked at the information before him. The others had gotten up and crowded around his seat.

     “That’s impossible…” Alfonse muttered.

     “Even with the contract limiting his true strength he could level half the castle if given the chance!” Anna said.

     “I’d hate to even imagine what Embla would do with that kind of power.” Sharena shuddered. Noah didn’t say anything. He was so confused. Why would Breidablik summon someone so dangerous? Why did it consider Grima a hero? He knew the relic worked in mysterious fashions but this was beyond anything else. And like Sharena said, if Embla got their hands on this kind of power.

     “Wait...this could be a good thing,” Noah said after a minute.

     “What do you mean?” Alfonse frowned.

     “What Sharena said. If Veronica forced Grima into a contract she would send him after us without a second thought. But we have Grima on our side. And regardless of how he feels about it, he’s willing to fight for us.”

     “We only have  _ a _ Grima.” Anna pointed out. “Veronica could bind one from another world if she finds him.”

     “That’s true. However, Veronica doesn’t train her heroes. She just sends them off to fight as soon as she’s trapped them. Even if she bound a Grima, ours would have a better chance at winning. And there was something Robin said too. He told me because of his connection to Grima only he could decisively kill him. So even with all his might, Grima would have to be vulnerable to himself.” Everyone was silent as they thought about what Noah said.

     “You do make a strong point,” Alfonse said. “It’s a double edged sword, but if you think the risk is worth it, Noah then I’ll support you, as always.” He smiled.

     “So will I. I know you’d never endanger anyone,” Sharena said.

     “High stakes, high rewards,” Anna said. “But I trust your judgment.”

     “Thanks everyone.” He smiled at each of them and put his tablet away. “That reminds me. I’ve got one more errand to run before I retire for the evening. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” The other order members said their farewells as they filed out of the war room. Noah got up and went over to his office. On the far wall were several rows of hooks. Most of the hooks were empty, but a good number had a key dangling on it. Noah scanned the wall until he found the hook labeled  _ 145 _ . He took the key and stuck it in his pocket. He exited his office and the war room into the main hall. Just as he was about to head to the heroes quarters he spotted the very person he may be going to see. It was definitely Grima. The distant way he held himself from the heroes who passed by, along with the glare that kept anyone from saying anything to him. Noah began to walk over to him. When Grima noticed he frowned, but made no move to leave. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said.

     “Why?” Grima’s frown deepened.

     “So I don’t have to walk all the way to your room to give you this.” Noah reached into his pocket and produced the key to Grima’s room. “Don’t lose this, they’re a pain to replace.” Grima eyed the key. He said nothing as he slowly reached out and plucked it from Noah’s hand. “By the way, time slots for training go up tomorrow on the notice board.”

     “Should that concern me?” Grima put the key in his pocket.

     “Only if you don’t want to end up training in the late evening. Most heroes like the early time slots so they have the rest of the day to themselves.”

     “You must have great confidence in the power of your contract if you believe it’ll hold after I hone my powers.”

     “I do. I’m not as clueless about your strength as you think.”

     “We shall see.”

     Without bothering to reply to that last comment, Noah turned and made his way to the dining hall. He stopped to give Grima a wave. “Have a good night.” Grima watched as Noah went through the gilded doors and vanished. He pulled his room key back out and stared at it. Why did the summoner approach him as if he completely dismissed the attempt on his life? Was he not afraid of him? This summoner was either brave, or brainless. He frowned. Humans were simply beyond his understanding, and he hated it.


	5. End of The First Day

     Noah ate dinner slowly. He had no lingering thoughts or deep reflections, he was merely too tired to focus on the food in front of him.

“Noah, are you alright?” Noah looked up from his plate and was met by Celica’s concerned gaze. He smiled softly.

“Yea. I’m sorry if I worried you, I’m just exhausted.”

“Perhaps you should retire for the evening? You work so hard for our sake, and you shouldn’t neglect your health.”

“I’m about to head to bed.” Noah nodded. “I was about to prepare a plate of cookies to take with me, but it’s just easier to sit here and do nothing.”

Celica couldn’t help but giggle. “I can understand that. Would you like some help?”

“Sure! I’d really appreciate it.” Noah pulled a clean plate off a nearby stack. Chocolate chip was his favorite, and with Celica’s help he picked the best looking cookies from the platter. A few times she pointed out he grabbed oatmeal raisin cookies, which she took so they wouldn’t go to waste. When they finished, Noah had about a dozen cookies arranged neatly on his plate.

“I’ve seen you carry food off before, but do you really eat everything you take in the middle of the night?” Celica asked.

“A good majority of the time,” Noah said. Back in his world, Noah often snuck into the kitchen for a midnight snack. In Askr it was for more convenient since he could take food straight from dinner and no one would reprimand him.

“Alm does the same thing.” Celica giggled. “He thinks I’m not aware, but I’ve known for awhile.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” Noah smiled. “I think I’m gonna head to bed.”

“Do you mind if I walk with you?”

“Not at all!” Noah and Celica stood up and made their way to the exit. The main hall was significantly less congested. The pair continued to make small talk as they crossed the room. Noah felt like he was being watched. He stopped and looked around. He spied a familiar glare by one of the pillars. When Grima noticed him looking he turned away.

“Is something wrong?” Celica looked between Noah and Grima.

“It’s nothing.” Noah shook his head and resumed walking. The distance wasn’t great and they stopped in front of the door leading to the royal suites. “Thanks for spending time with me, Celica.” She smiled and hugged him, careful of his plate.

“I always enjoy our time spent together. Have a good night, Noah.”

“You too!” She turned and walked away towards the heroes quarters. Noah cast one last glance at Grima before he vanished through the double doors.

–

The castle could not be more different at night. The usual bustle and chatter was replaced by a graveyard silence. The order members and all the heroes had retired for the night. All except for one. While he may be boastful, Grima’s need to sleep had practically vanished. Brief periods of rest were sometimes needed, but he had never slept since taking this vessel. Grima silently wandered the halls. He walked past the long empty tables that filled the dining hall. His vessel still required food. The need was not as great compared to humans, but his pride stopped him completely. Before he was anointed as a god he hunted to survive. When he lorded over the Grimleal in ages past they would bring him offerings of livestock and their own members. But here, he refused to partake in communal dining. It was beneath him. Yet his body currently pined for sustenance and he cursed it. So much had afflicted him since being summoned. The contract that bound him to someone who possessed no understanding of the power he wields. The confusion he felt when he looked at the said summoner. He surmised the contract affected his emotions to some degree. This hunger that made him hate his vessel despite his need for it. Finally, the loss of a large chunk of his memories when he was brought to Zenith. Grima had lived for thousands of years. His knowledge and memories spanned beyond anything anyone could imagine. So what is it that he’d forgotten? It was a ridiculous question to ask himself, but he had nothing to go off of. It infuriated him more than anything. Grima blinked. He hadn’t realized he was in the courtyard. He was so lost in thought that he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going.

“Robin?” Came a sudden voice from behind him. A familiar voice. Grima slowly turned until he was face to face with Lucina. “I was on my way to get a drink when I spotted you. What are you doing out here?” She asked.

“Begone from my sight.” Grima scowled. “I have no interest in you.” Lucina flinched.

“Robin what are you–?” And then it dawned on her. Her eyes widened in shock. “So it’s true. You are here,  _ Grima _ .”

“Yes, and I should have suspected you would be here as well. Now, begone. I have no business with you.” He could see the shock fade, and replaced with anger.

“You take away the man my father loved, proceed to murder him in his body, utterly devastated my world, and now you have no  _ business _ with me!? If I had the Falchion in hand I would cut you down right now!”

“You could try.” Grima scoffed. “However, the contract you and I are both bound to prevents us from harming one another. Regardless, I have no quarrel with you here, princess.”

Lucina grit her teeth. All of her struggles, all of the emotions and loved ones she buried in her time, all of it felt in vain when she looked at the fell dragon here in Askr. In her heart she knew this Grima wasn’t from the world she was summoned from. But her raged still burned just as brightly now as it did for that one. Once this war was over she’d never see him again. “Just stay away from us,” she spat.

“Do the same and we shall have an accord.” He stared Lucina down, who finally turned and ran back inside. Grima watched her vanish and he let go of the tension in his body he didn’t realize he was holding. He cursed under his breath. Why did he have to be summoned? Was this Naga’s punishment? Something worse than imprisonment or death? If the only way for him to be free of this place was to win the war, then he would see to it, personally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! I rewrote the Grima and Lucina interactions a few times. I still don't feel wholly satisfied with it but it's the one I like most.


	6. Not So Lazy Sunday

     Sunday came and Noah groaned. He’d been up since sunrise in order to put the sign-up sheet for Monday’s training times on the notice board and work on miscellaneous tasks. He munched on fresh bread with butter as he worked. He missed toasted bagels, but bread right out of the oven was still to die for. If he planned it better he could still be asleep right now. No matter how many times he told himself to stop procrastinating work, he always did the same thing and he always regretted it. And being awake at the crack of dawn on a weekend was his punishment. He head nearly dozed off when a knock came at his office door. Noah jumped up in his seat. “Come in!” Alfonse entered with a set of rolled up parchment in on arm.

“Good morning, Noah,” he said.

“Morning, Alfonse.” Noah stifled a yawn and sat up straight. Alfonse walked over to his desk and lay the scrolls down.

“I just wanted to drop off the sign-up sheet.”

“It’s full already?” With how many heroes they had, the sign-up was divided into three rolls of parchment. Each time slot had three spots for three heroes. The fourth spot was reserved for a healer, who was selected based on availability at that time. He grabbed the first page and opened it. Scribbled rather sloppily in the 5AM slot, but still legible enough was the last name Noah expected to see: Grima. The second 5AM spot was taken by the legendary hero Ephraim. Celica reserved the final spot. The first team ended up more well balanced than Noah first realized. “Thank you Alfonse. I’ll pick your, Sharena, and Anna’s teams and let you guys know by lunch.” The four order members each led one of the training teams in shifts. Anna suggested the idea so Noah wouldn’t get overworked.

“I appreciate that, Noah. Just don’t work yourself too hard.” Alfonse waved goodbye and exited Noah’s office. As soon as the door closed, Noah slumped his head on the desk and sighed. He was too tired for this right now. A nap couldn’t hurt. Although, he knew if he took a nap right now he wouldn’t wake up until lunchtime. With another sigh, Noah resolved himself to work. He picked his head up and pulled a fresh piece of paper out of a neat stack. Training shifts were the easiest to arrange. When Noah was regularly summoning new heroes to bolster their forces, training was hectic and teams would commonly go back to back. Now, with most of the heroes at their maximum power levels it was easier to manage. The way hero power levels operated made Noah think of a video game. That also made it easy for him to understand how they functioned. The new big concern was keeping the training dummies in good condition for heroes keeping up with weapon training. Some heroes, like Ephraim, continued to use the training tower despite being at max level because he preferred the challenge provided by the towers training phantoms. Noah dipped his quill in ink and began to write out the shifts. Against what his body wanted he assigned himself the 5AM shift. He was too curious to see Grima in combat. 

     Over the next two hours, he slowly transcribed the teams, times, and training overseers into a neat list. He also looked over the available times the healers provided him and matched them with the best team for their schedule. The healers usually operated in the same time slots, but some days Noah would switch around the more flexible ones so the same one wasn’t always stuck in the early morning sessions. With that out of the way, the next thing on his agenda was to look over Anna’s proposed budget for the next month. Noah leaned back in his chair and yawned loudly. He stretched and stood up. A walk around the castle was just what he needed to keep from keeling over. He exited his office and the war room into the main hall. The weather outside was beautiful as usual, and a majority of the heroes were outside or in town. Noah waved to the heroes that were still about as he passed them. He made his way outside, and rather than settle somewhere in the courtyard he headed for a breezeway that connected to the castle grounds. Noah stepped out to a beautiful green field with waves of vividly colored flowers carefully maintained by the groundskeepers. Noah breathed in the floral air and smiled. It was so peaceful here.

     “I should have expected the insect I was searching for would nestle himself in the flowers.” It  _ was _ peaceful here. Noah turned and was met with Grima’s usual glare.

     “Hi Grima, what can I help you with.” He didn’t appreciate Grima calling him an insect, but it wasn’t the worst insult ever flung at him.

     “I put my name down for your training, so I order you to train me,” he said.

     “That’s for tomorrow. You and the others who signed up for 5AM will meet at four-thirty tomorrow morning in the main hall and then we’ll all go to the training tower.”

     “For the tactician charged with winning a war you are certainly lax.”

     “We won’t win anything if everyone’s worked to the bone. They may be called heroes but they’re still people, and they’re treated as such.”

     “Hmph.” Grima scoffed but said nothing further.

     “Also, make sure you’re well rested and ate something before we train.”

     “Have you forgotten? I am above such requirements.”

     “I haven’t, but I’ll tell you anyway.” He had a feeling Grima was puffing himself up when he said things like that, like a peacock.

     “You are...strange.” Grima turned around and began to make his way back to the castle.

     “Mhm, see you tomorrow.” Noah turned back to take in the view. He made his way further into the grounds. He sat down on a stone bench amid a field of lilies. This would be the perfect place to take a nap, if he had the time. He still had to brief the other order members on their training shifts and review the budget before meeting Cecilia for lunch and tea. There were also scouting reports to review and a meeting to discuss said reports. It was going to be a long day.


	7. The Fell God's Might

     Monday morning was the worst invention in human history. Noah didn’t bother to hold back his yawns as he waited for the heroes in the 5AM training slot. The door to the heroes quarters opened and the ever punctual Celica stepped through.

“Good morning, Noah.” She smiled at him.

“Morning.” Noah yawned. Ephraim, legendary hero, followed shortly after.

“Greetings, Noah,” Ephraim said.

“Morning.” Ephraim looked wide awake as well. Noah had never been an early riser. In college he never took a class before 10AM if he could avoid it. “We’re just missing Grima and Azama.” As soon as he said the monks name he appeared.  

     “A good morning to you all,” Azama said. 

     “Good morning, Azama,” Noah said. He wasn’t surprised that Grima would be the last one to show up despite his insistence on training. Noah looked down at his tablet. The clock read 4:29 when Grima finally appeared. He had the usual frown on his face. When he reached the group he crossed his arms and said nothing.

“Good morning,” Noah said.

“Shall we begin training or no?” Was the only response. So much for pleasantries. Noah waved his hand and the group headed out. They stopped at the stables so Ephraim could get his horse. Noah looked over everyone’s statistics as they walked. Ephraim and Azama were both at max level. Celica was a few levels away from her cap, while Grima was at the starting level. With how powerful this team was and Grima’s already extraordinary strength, Noah considered the risk of starting at a higher stratum of the training tower than he normally would with rookies. Ultimately, he settled on the first stratum rather than the starting stratum.

The training tower loomed imposingly over the group. No records remain as to why the ancient Askrans built such an elaborate place to train heroes. The war against Embla was centuries after the towers construction. Like Breidablik, it was an unsolved mystery. Noah turned to the heroes. “Given the huge level gap between Grima and everyone else, we’ll start on the first stratum. If all goes well, we can get him on par with you guys and spend the next hour training at a more suitable difficulty for everyone,” Noah explained.

“Your special treatment is unnecessary and undesired,” Grima said. “My power is that of a god.”

“Maybe in your world. Here, there are certain rules and limitations you’re forced to follow. Please don’t argue with me on this. You’re already starting one grade above what any other hero at your level would start with.” Grima crossed his arms and his frown deepened. Noah took his silence as a cue to proceed. He turned to face the great stone doors and waved his arm. With a mighty lurch the doors slowly opened to reveal a bare circular room. Lit sconces lined the stone walls. Another door stood further inside. This door allowed entry into the starting stratum. A large spiral stone staircase hugged the wall as it circled upwards onto the next floor.. Noah led the others up. They came to an identical room as the ground floor. The group approached the large door here and with another wave of Noah’s hand, the doors opened. As it did in its strange ways, the true interior of the training tower rooms always changed. Noah quickly discovered that heroes could safely go all out in there without risking the towers infrastructure. The first stratum took on the form of a grassy field with two ponds. Patches of trees dotted some parts of the field and a small range of mountains loomed in the distance. Noah pulled up the battle map on his tablet. Luck wasn’t completely on their side. Four enemy training phantoms spawned. Two were red units; a mage and a knight. Grima was classified as a green dragon unit. The other enemies were a green knight and a cleric. “I want everyone to stay close to Grima on the chance things turn south. Grima, get out your dragonstone and get ready to fight. You’re free to go all out in here so don’t worry.” A booming chime echoed across the field to signify that battle had begun. However, Grima made no moves to transform. Instead he laughed.

“All this time you believed I was like those simple manaketes?” His laughter sent a chill down Noah’s spine. “You hapless worm. I told you already. I am the fell dragon, my power is the great equalizer. Behold.” Without warning, a purple aura flared to life around Grima. His coat whipped around him due to the streams of energy emanating from him. Noah could make out a glow from his right hand. It was a vague U shaped mark with a flourish at the bottom and six eyes adorning it. “Witness true power!” Grima’s aura let out a burst of energy that blinded everyone for a second. The first thing Noah noticed when he blinked away the daze was how dark it suddenly was. A frightened gasp from Celica caught his attention.

“Look!” She pointed up and when Noah looked, his jaw dropped. Above them was a gargantuan monstrous serpentine creature. Six enormous feathered wings lined its body. Two larger pairs were near the front and middle, and a smaller pair adorned the back. Its long neck was lined with large horns. A giant pair of horns crowned its head, with six glowing red eyes that surveyed all beneath it. When Noah looked to where Grima was originally standing, he saw him still there.

“Grima…” His voice shook. “I-Is that you?” The vessel turned his head. He now bore the same six red eyes as his true form and flashed Noah a frightening fanged grin. Six dark feathered wings erupted from the vessels back and a pair of horns now crowned his head.

“Behold the glory of a fell god.” Grima raised his arms above his head. “Count yourselves fortunate. You shall bear witness to my strength and be among the few to survive it.” He turned to face his phantom foes. He extended his hand, and with an ear piercing roar the dragon Grima unleashed hellfire upon the field. This was beyond anything Noah could’ve imagined. Even with the knowledge that Grima’s limited powers were still astronomical, he merely assumed Grima was a super powerful manakete. But this. This was terrifying. The type disadvantage was utterly irrelevant. Everyone else shielded their eyes as noxious looking purple flames made contact with the earth. Dirt and dust flew everywhere as Grima devastated his enemies. When the debris cleared all that remained was a scorched wasteland. The dragon Grima began to fade in a purple haze, as if he was never there. Noah just realized he was shaking. He looked to the other heroes. Ephraim sat stone faced atop his horse. Azama was looking away. The normally barb tongued monk had nothing to say and wished to see nothing. Celica was shaking as well. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. And Grima, Grima laughed once more. He turned to face the group, the bestial changes to his vessel having faded. “How rightfully you quake in fear.”

“L-Let’s get out of here…” Noah finally spoke up. He hoped that the training tower won’t be affected by that. Noah led everyone out of the first stratum and into the circular hall. “Could you three wait for me upstairs?” He asked Ephraim, Celica, and Azama. They warily nodded and made their exit. Noah turned to Grima now. He saw the fell dragon in a terrifying new light. “Grima...that was...terrifying.”

“As it should be. This war shall end quickly once you unleash me,” he said.  


“That’s just it. I can’t have you fighting out there.”

“What? Are you so frightened that you would lock me away?”

“I can’t in good faith send someone with that kind of power out onto the battlefield. In the stratums you can be as wild as you want. But in the real world there would be legitimate and lasting consequences to that kind of destruction.”

“Then I shall simply channel my magic through my vessel.” 

     Noah blanked. “You can do that?”

     “Did you truly think I could not? If you are so concerned with the collateral damage I would inflict, then I shall battle in a more concentrated form.”

     “I...I don’t know what to say, except, thank you.”

     “Spare me your platitudes. My only interest in ending this war is to return to my own world.”

     “I’ll take what I can get.” With some of the shock having worn off, Noah pulled out his tablet to see if Grima actually gained some power levels after that decimation. He actually did go up a few levels. “Let’s head upstairs. We’ll try to find a good challenge for you and the others.”

     “I’m interested to see if you can succeed in that.” Noah led Grima up another flight where everyone else was waiting. He explained the change to Grima’s fighting style. The others still looked at the fell dragon with unease, but pushed those feelings aside to get through this training session. The party went up a few more flights to the sixth stratum. Even with his magic being concentrated through his vessel, Grima was still an impressive fighter. He channeled his magic into blasts of dark energy, similar to his dragon breath. He could also conjure thorns of dark magic to surge through the ground and impale enemies. Celica fought alongside on this stratum while Ephraim provided backup and Azama supported them with healing. The remaining time went much better now, which Noah was thankful for. By 7AM Noah was very pleased.

     “Great work everyone! Take a well deserved rest when we get back to the castle,” Noah said. The tension from Grima’s display of power had mostly faded. Everyone chatted animatedly amongst themselves on the walk back. Everyone except for Grima. The fell dragon walked behind the others, his gaze fixed on the sky. To streamline his might so this world wouldn’t suffer lasting damage. What a foolish concession on his part. War was the cruelest invention by mankind. Why should he not lay waste to it all then? Salvation for one comes at the suffering of another. Why should he not simply reduce the Emblian empire to ash? The war would be over and he could be free of it all. Then why? Why did he so easily agree and even suggest a less destructive combat style for himself? He felt so confused. It had to be that damned contract. There was no other explanation. And not to mention his memory loss. The few days he’s been here he kept that information to himself. It was no one’s business after all. But it frustrated him to no end. He looked forward and bored his eyes into Noah’s back. This damned summoner has done nothing but cause problems for him since his arrival. How he will relish his freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big reveal to Noah! I also actually planned to have Celica bring up the Thabes labyrinth expedition but decided against it since it's priestess Celica by technicality. Also yea m!Grima is an armored unit with 1 range but that's no fun lol. And also I do love his art but intsys were cowards for not giving his vessel the Fell Dragon Aesthetic™ Also ao3 please stop removing my indents and forcing me to redo them manually

**Author's Note:**

> The big reveal to Noah! I also actually planned to have Celica bring up the Thabes labyrinth expedition but decided against it since it's priestess Celica by technicality. Also yea m!Grima is an armored unit with 1 range but that's no fun lol. And also I do love his art but intsys were cowards for not giving his vessel the Fell Dragon Aesthetic™ Also ao3 please stop removing my indents and forcing me to redo them manually


End file.
